Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better
by T L Kay
Summary: An old friend from Shawn's past shows up to solve a case and could blow Shawn's cover, because she too can do what he does, but she's honest about it.
1. Chapter 1

"Shawn concentrate," said Henry Spencer to his young son.

"Dad I don't wanna do this."

Henry rolled his eyes. "You're going to let her beat you?"

Shawn peeked open his eyes and looked over to where his Uncle Dan Spencer and Cousin Cassandra were standing looking smug. Shawn glanced over to Gus, who rolled his eyes.

"Fine," Shawn sighed, closing his eyes again. "Collie, Golden Retriever, Black Lab, White Lab, Pug, Beagle, Bulldog, German Sheppard, Cocker Spaniel, Great Dane, Husky, and…" he trailed off, racking his brain for the answer. They were at the dog park, trying to remember the things they had seen. This was a tradition between Dan and Henry, pit their children against one another, for both Shawn and Cassandra had photographic memory. "I can't remember," he said finally. "Can I open my eyes now?"

Henry sighed in frustration. "No Shawn you may not. Concentrate."

"I am concentrating. I don't wanna do this anymore."

"Do you know what the last ones are sweetie?" asked Dan.

"A Scottie and a Westie," said Cassie proudly.

Shawn opened his eyes and looked at his grinning cousin.

"Once again we win Hank," said Dan. "You're boy is talented, he just needs to grow up a little, put his mind to things. Cassie knows what she wants from life, can Shawn say the same?"

Shawn and Gus exchanged a look. They were 14, of course they didn't know what they wanted from life, and how could a girl of 9 possibly know what she wanted?

Dan laughed. "Come on Hank, I'll let you buy me that steak now."

Henry looked down at his son. "Double or nothing?"

* * *

Shawn and Gus strolled down the hallway in the police station heading for the chief's office. 

"Did she say why she wanted to see us?" Gus asked again for the fourth time.

"I assume for a case Gus," said Shawn. "What else would it be for?"

Gus shrugged. They stopped in front of the office and knocked on the door.

"Come in."

They entered and stopped short. There were several people inside; the chief, Lassiter and Jules naturally, and then several suited men that Shawn didn't recognize.

"What's up Chief?" asked Shawn.

"These men here are with the FBI. It seems they've been tracking a serial killer from Florida and they believe that he's come here to Santa Barbara."

"And they want my incredible psychic skills to find the killer."

"Actually no Shawn," said Jules, looking uncomfortable.

"What?"

"They don't want your help," said Lassie smugly. "They already have a specialist."

"Is this gonna be like the last 'specialist' who turned out to be the killer?"

"Mr. Spencer," said the chief, giving him a reprimanding look.

"Fine then. If you don't need us then why are we here?"

"Detective Connors requested that you be…involved."

Shawn looked at the two suits, trying to gage which one was Connors.

"Neither of them are Connors. We're still waiting on the detective, her flight was delayed."

Shawn smiled. "Her?"

The three of them shot him a look. "This will _not_ be like the last time Mr. Spencer," said the chief, before turning to talk to the FBI agents, with Lassiter leering over her shoulder to be a part of the conversation.

"Shawn doesn't that name sound familiar to you?" asked Gus in a whisper.

"What, Connors? It's a very popular name." He thought about it for a moment, because now that Gus mentioned it, it did sound familiar. "Oh wait," he said after a moment, but didn't get to finish his thought, because just then Detective Connors got there and he knew why he knew the name.

"Hi Shawn," said the woman in the doorway.

Shawn took a deep, steadying breath, staring at the woman who would no doubt blow his cover. "Hi Cassandra."


	2. Chapter 2

"Cassie what are you doing here?" Shawn asked when he had gotten her alone. They had spent quite some time in the chief's office being briefed on the case, and Shawn was still unclear as to why he had been called in to help. Other than the obvious. They had taken a break and Shawn had dragged her down the hall to talk.

"I'm working this case Shawn," she said simply.

"Since when are you a cop?"

She smiled. "For awhile now, I actually have high hopes for my life."

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Shawn defensively.

"Oh please Shawn, a psychic? Your dad told me, it's very disappointing."

"I have a good job, I make good money, what's disappointing about that?"

"You live a lie Shawn."

"Says you."

"Oh please," Cassie said, rolling her eyes. "We aren't kids anymore Shawn, stop acting like one."

He shot her a frustrated look. She always seemed to do this, show up in his life when he was doing all right and suddenly he was being compared to her and his life seemed to suck. Just because his father didn't like his life choices didn't mean that they weren't somewhat good ones. But that wasn't his only frustration with Cassandra being around. You see, Cassie wasn't his real cousin.

Henry and Dan had met at the academy and become instant friends, drawn even closer by sharing the same last name. They had stayed close friends after that, being each others best man, being there when their kids were born, everything. Shawn and Cassie had grown up like cousins, but after a while things got more complicated. Shawn liked girls a lot, and Cassie was a girl. It didn't take long for him to put the two thoughts together. The only problem was that Cassie wasn't falling for his usual act, because she could see right through it to what was underneath.

Shawn had never felt so nervous around another human being in his entire life, and here she was, poised to screw up his life some more.

"Why does everyone always say that to me?" Shawn asked.

"What, that you're not a kid anymore?"

Shawn nodded, though he knew the answer.

Cassie laughed. "Fine, you want to continue lying to the police, that's none of my business, but I have a case to solve and I'm going to do that."

"Cass you can't," he pleaded.

"I'm sorry?"

"If they see you doing what we can do they'll put it together and I'll be in so much trouble."

"Well that's your fault then isn't it?" She smiled. "Maybe you should just use your amazing psychic ability to solve the case before me. That is if you can beat me."

Shawn grinned. "You know I always let you win when we were younger."

She laughed. "Yeah right. But either way, are you gonna let me win this time?"

Shawn shook his head.

"Then get back in there and show me your stuff."

* * *

"Mr. Spencer," said the chief as they returned to her office. "Mr. Guster was just informing me that you and Detective Connors have a history."

Shawn shot Gus a look, but decided to answer the question, somewhat. "Yes, Cassie is my cousin."

"And it's Detective Spencer now," said Cassie.

Shawn shot her a questioning look.

"My divorce is final," she said simply.

Shawn grinned maliciously. "So it looks like I'm not the only one who doesn't have their life sorted out."

She gave him an angry look before turning back to the chief. "That's correct Chief Vick, Shawn and I are…cousins," she said tentatively, unsure why Shawn had not told the whole truth.

"Well how lovely," said Lassiter sarcastically.

"Pipe down Carlton," said the chief.

"Yes ma'am," said Lassiter meekly.

"I don't care what your history is as long as we can solve this case."

Cassie and Shawn exchanged a look. Shawn smiled. "You can count on us chief."


End file.
